Positioning

Updated: 30.10.17

The Norwegian Mapping Authority offers correction services with various degrees of accuracy through the national GNSS network.

The CPOS service provides measurement accuracy in the centimeter range through Network-RTK. For applications that do not require a high accuracy level, DPOS gives accuracy on the desimeter range through DGNSS. In addition to these real-time correction services, the Norwegian Mapping Authority also offers its customers data for post-processing through a service called ETPOS.

GNSS reference stations

Currently, the GNSS network consists of more than 170 GNSS reference stations located both on the mainland and on remote islands, some as far north as 79 degrees. The reference stations have been established with an average rate of 12-15 per year. In 2011, full coverage was reached as the entire country could access the real-time services through the station network.

Remote areas

Running a GNSS network in these areas present the system itself as well as its operators with some challenges. For instance, access to the most remote reference stations can be difficult at times as they are more or less unreachable in the wintertime due to snow and bad weather conditions.

Others are situated on some of Norway’s more remote islands, such as the islands of Jan Mayen (~1000 km / 620 mi from the mainland), Bjørnøya and Hopen (both between the mainland and Svalbard to the north).

However, most of the 170 stations are established with accessibility in mind enabling the operators to easily gain access to the infrastructure and equipment.

Challenging space weather

Challenging ionospheric conditions is a hot topic these days, as the sun once again is reaching its maximum activity level. Kartverket observes on a regular basis that the northernmost parts of the GNSS network are heavily disturbed, causing trouble for the RTK users. Continuing to monitor both the ionosphere and its impact on GNSS systems, contributing to the international community and improving the handling of such events is a very important task for the Mapping Authority in the years to come.